Angie's Desk

Thursday, February 15, 2018

If you've just wandered in off the internet, hi and welcome. :) I do these posts every month, so if this post isn't dated in the same month you're in, click here to make sure you're seeing the most recent one. If you want to get an e-mail notification when the listing is posted, get the list a week early, or get a full listing of everything I've found (as opposed to the two months' worth I post here) a week early, you can support my Patreon.

Markets with specific deadlines are listed first, "Until Filled" markets (if any) are at the bottom. There are usually more details on the original site; always click through and read the full guidelines before submitting. Note that some publishers list multiple guidelines on one page, so after you click through you might have to scroll a bit.

Futurefire.net Publishing and the Institute of Classical Studies are looking for retellings or reimaginings of classical monsters in fantasy, horror or science fiction short stories, for a mixed fiction and nonfiction volume titled Making Monsters to be published in mid-2018, edited by Emma Bridges and Djibril al-Ayad. Classical monsters may include those from Greco-Roman mythology, ancient Egypt, the Near East, or any other ancient world cultures far beyond the Mediterranean.

We are particularly interested in stories and poems that explore the marginality and transgressiveness of female monsters and monstrous women such as Medusa, Scylla, Lilith, Kiyohime or Krasue, in the context of disadvantaged and marginalized women, including intersections with other axes of oppression and violence such as race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, language and religion. We especially welcome “own voices” fiction and stories by authors from marginalized groups, but we do not require authors to self-identify in any way.

== Maximum of 5,000 words fiction (with a preference for 3,000-5,000 words).
== Maximum of 50 lines poetry.
== No reprints or simultaneous submissions. Please only send one story and up to three poems (in separate documents, but a single email) at one time.
== We are not seeking nonfiction or scholarship—essays have already been commissioned for this volume.
== Please send fiction or poetry submissions as an attachment in .doc, .docx or .rtf format to makingmonsters.cfp@gmail.com, with your name, the story title, and the wordcount in the covering email.

Triangulation, Parsec Ink’s themed speculative fiction annual, is now in its 14th year, and open for submissions. Whether you’re a new or established author, we hope you’ll send us your outstanding fantasy, science fiction, weird fiction, or speculative horror. Just tell us a story we won’t forget.

Theme: This year’s theme is “music”. Tentative title, Triangulation: The Music Edition. We’re looking for stories where music, a musical instrument, the parts of music, or musical culture make an appearance in a meaningful way. As a thematic element, you can apply a light touch or go “full tuba”. Be aware that we may retool the title of the collection, depending on the exact quality and character of the submissions we receive. If you’ve got a better title than “Triangulation: The Musical”, don’t forget to let us know in your cover letter.

Word Count: We consider fiction up to 5,000 words, but the sweet spot is 3,000. There is no minimum word count.

Genre: We accept science fiction, fantasy, and horror–and enjoy intelligent blends of the three. Stories without a speculative element will not be considered.

Compensation: Pay is semi-pro: 2 cents a word. Authors will receive an e-book and one print copy of the anthology, plus wholesale pricing for additional print copies (typically 50% off the cover price).

Rights: We purchase North American serial rights, and electronic rights for the downloadable version(s). All subsidiary rights released upon publication.

Submissions: We are a meritocracy. New authors are as welcome as those with a laundry list of accomplishments. But it’s going to be the story that wins us over. Grab us by the lapels, drag us onto that plane, take us for the ride of our lives… but get us back on the ground safely and home in time for dinner.

We do not accept reprints, multiple submissions, or simultaneous submissions. If we reject a story before the end of the reading period, feel free to send another.

We love creative interpretations of our themes, but we do require the stories to be a solid fit.

We run mature content only if we like the story and find the mature content to be integral to it.

We do not accept fanfic, even if it’s based in a fictional universe that has passed into the public domain.

How To Submit: Electronic submissions make our lives easier. Please upload your story via Submittable. If this is your first time using Submittable, you will need to create an account with them. Don’t worry: it’s free.

Editorial Process: We aim to read submissions as they are received. If a story doesn’t work for us, we reject it. If we think the story has great potential but isn’t quite there yet, we request a rewrite. The ones we love the most, we hold on to for further consideration, but we won’t keep you guessing: you’ll get an email. Next, the stories fight it out amongst themselves until we have our final lineup. At which time, final acceptances are sent out. It’s sort of like Enter the Dragon, but without the nunchucks. When a story is accepted, the changes we suggest will typically be minor and/or cosmetic.

Response: Final decisions are made by March 31st.

Eligibility: All writers, including those who are known or related to the editorial staff, can submit to Triangulation. That doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily get in, but we are happy to consider their work.

Red Rabbit Publishing is seeking submissions for Red Rabbit Presents, a new anthology of sci-fi short stories. I’m looking for action-filled stories told well. That simple.

NOTE: Please Like Red Rabbit’s Facebook group for just-in-time information.

THEME: The first issue will release around mid-2018 and the theme will be military sci-fi. Professional soldiers, command structure, mechs beating down aliens, things like that. Explosions and heroes. Think of Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers as an example of military sci-fi.

PAY & LENGTH: Rate is $.03 cents a word, original content (no reprints) only. A minimum of 3,000 words and up to 6,000. Story length can go beyond (up to 8,000), but pay will only be to 6,000. ($90.00 to $180.00). Payment will be at time of publication through PayPal. If print books are created, all contributing authors will receive a copy.

SUBMISSION: Send an email to RRPsubmissions (at) akmeek.com with story attached as a Word document. Please use “Mid-2018 Submission” for email subject. Include the following in the email: story name, word count, author name, along with a blurb of any other information you think I’d like to know. Examples are: awards, social reach, newsletter subscriber count, etc. I’ll leave it up to what you feel is important.

QUESTIONS: Please check out Red Rabbit’s Facebook group (link above). If you prefer, send an email to the submissions email address (above). Please use “question” in the subject line.

The editors of The Twisted Book of Shadows want your very best horror story. That’s it. We’re making this call as open as we can make it. Just scare us.

We will be paying professional rates — a minimum of six cents per word, with a cap on advances of $300 per story. We will also be paying royalties — a pro rata share of 50% of all royalties earned.

Stories should be 3,000 words and up. Payment will be capped at 5,000 words, but we won’t reject a story for exceeding that length. (Though stories above 10,000 words will be frowned upon.)

All submissions must be original, previously unpublished stories (i.e. no reprints).

Don’t send us trunk stories. You’re wasting your time and ours.

Don’t send multiple submissions. We want your best. If you’ve got more than one story hanging around, chances are at least one is a trunk story. If you just happen to have recently written more than one story, only send the one you think is best.

Simultaneous submissions are fine, as long as you inform us immediately at the following email address if you’ve sold the story elsewhere.

All stories must be submitted via the following email address, attached as either an MS Word or RTF file. We prefer to receive stories that follow “standard professional formatting;” in other words, double-spaced, using 12 point Times New Roman (or a similar font). CLICK HERE for a concise formatting checklist (although again, we’d prefer Times New Roman as a font, but that’s a minor request). All stories will be received by our web-master, who will log your submission, strip any personal information from your file, and then forward it to the editors.

We’re going to repeat ourselves because this part is that important — all stories must be submitted via the following email address. Don’t attach your submission to a personal email or a Facebook message to one of the editors or the publisher. This is how we’re keeping the submission process truly blind, so it is therefore the one and only portal to have your story considered for The Twisted Book of Shadows.

If This Goes On is dedicated to inclusiveness and is open to all writers. If you have a story that needs to be told, we want to read it. Please do not self-reject.

Who:

== Genre writers
== Literary writers
== Writers from under-represented communities and groups
== Established writers, new writers, pro and amateur.
== All are welcome to contribute to If This Goes On.

We are looking for unique stories that offer insights into the shared future of our planet. Tell us how our climate will change if we don’t better protect our planet. Show us how the racial divide in this country is only growing wider. Warn us of a coming era of neo-colonialism if we don’t develop conscientious trade practices. Scare us into taking digital security more seriously as we hand over the keys to our digital lives to governments and non-state powers.

Open our eyes to our future.

What:

== Stories must be 5,000 words or less (Flash fiction is accepted)
== Must be set at least one generation in the future (You are welcome to write an epic fantasy in the Friedman tradition, so long as it is in the far future!)
== Must include the impact of current political policy (social, scientific, legal, criminal, etc.) as a meaningful aspect of the story.
== Stories are strongly encouraged to avoid focusing on current political personalities and, instead, to focus on the policy impacts and long-term changes to our world.
== Stories must be original
== Publisher requires worldwide first electronic and first print English-language rights
== Pay is $0.08 per word (half on delivery, half on publication) and a royalty share for contributors

How:

Submissions and queries should be emailed to submissions@parvuspress.com and addressed to Cat Rambo. Attach your manuscript as Word (.doc or .docx), PDF, or RTF files only. Your submission should include your name and relevant contact information in the attached file as well as the body of the email. Attach only your submission document. Submissions containing any other files will not be opened.

In your email, we ask that you identify the particular policy, trend, or shift which your story involves. You are encouraged, but not required, to tell us if there is any personal connection between yourself and the anthology topic.

Please feel free to email for an update if you have not heard a submission response within 90 days.

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

This project is born of rage and sorrow and hope. Rage at the way America has been stolen and how those thieves have been eating away at its infrastructure. Sorrow at the lives being destroyed in the sorrow as well as for the earth as its protections are stripped away by a kleptocratic and corrupt regime. Sorrow for the way words themselves have been distorted and twisted away from truth.

And hope. Because humans continue to progress and evolve, even though that climb is a rocky one and we slide back sometimes. We seem to have done so recently. And so this anthology, an attempt to rally, to inspire, and to awaken. Some stories will despair, but others will have the light we seek, lamps to light the path and show the pitfalls as we continue upwards.

This anthology is part of my resistance. I hope it will be part of yours as well.

– Cat Rambo

20 September 2017

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The idea for IF THIS GOES ON came as a reaction to the isolationism, divisiveness, anti-science rhetoric, and fear-mongering that we saw all-too-frequently from our national leaders after the 2016 election. I was finally called to action by the hateful rally in Charlottesville, VA this summer.

This project is very personal to me. A mezuzah is nailed to the doorframe of my house, here in Virginia, and I proudly top my Christmas tree with a Star of David every year. When I watched Vice's powerful documentary on the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, as I watched a mob in broad daylight chanting anti-Semitic messages in my relative back yard, I could no longer ignore the fear I felt for the future of my country and the safety of my family.

This anthology is my contribution to the effort to preserve the America I know, love, and believe in. An America where all children can grow up without fear and where love is more powerful than hate. To paraphrase (poorly) President Obama, I believe in an America where we all recognize that there is more that binds us together than sets us apart. I know this America doesn’t exist beyond an ideal, but I see this anthology as one small brick in the long road to that ideal.

The Sword & Sonnet Kickstarter successfully funded and a wonderful group of writers have agreed to write for us. We’ll be holding an open submission period in February 2018 and actively encourage writers from all backgrounds to send us their stories.

== What kind of stories are you looking for?

Stories featuring a woman or non-binary battle poet as a main character. Although we envision the bulk of the stories will be fantasy, we’re also open to science fiction or horror. We’re looking for lyrical Shimmery stories, epic fantasy tales, and gritty poetpunk. Stories could feature secondary, historical or contemporary settings. Although they don’t feature battle poets (and we’re not looking for carbon copies) here are some stories which give some examples of some of the flavors we’re looking for:

Please only submit one story at a time. If you get a response back before the submission window closes, you’re welcome to submit another story.

== Simultaneous Submissions

Please don’t. (Don’t send the story to another market at the same time you send it to us).

== Response Time

You’ll have a response (perhaps a hold notice) before the end of March.

== Do you actually have any space left in your anthology for open submissions?

Yes. We have a wonderful group of writers who have agreed to write us stories, but we wanted to leave room for the open submission period too! We don’t know exactly how many stories (that will depend on the word count), but we’ll be looking to take around 8-10 stories from the open submission period.

If it isn’t perfectly clear by now, we are looking for Ho ho, oh hell, is it that time of year again? Already? When the muzak starts cranking out lousy Casio versions of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” non-stop? When the flavour du jour switches from pumpkin spice to eggnog every goddamn thing? When everything gets all twinkly and glittery and your eyes just want to roll out of your skull from the sparkle overload?

We’re looking for deranged and demented stories and poems that snap back against all that holiday schmaltz. Our leanings are toward the dark, the speculative (SF, fantasy, horror), the flat-out weird, the humourous, but that covers a lot of ground. But basically, if it would piss off Sean Hannity or Bill O’Reilly or that stuffy old grandma that always gave you hideous socks for Christmas, we’re in. One cautionary note: it’s likely there will be a lot of Santa stories submitted. We’d urge you think more widely, especially outside the white, Judeo-Christian canon. There’s really plenty to hate about Christmas, so it shouldn’t be that hard.

== Submission window: Monday, January 15, 2018 to Sunday, March 4, 2018, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
== Open to submissions by authors of all backgrounds, from anywhere in the world.
== Please do not submit by email. We will accept digital submissions only via the Moksha submissions system at https://chizinepub.moksha.io/publication/war-on-christmas.

== Length:
- Fiction: 500–5,000 words. This isn’t super-firm (we won’t impale you with a candy cane for 5,100 words, even if you ask us to) but do try to keep it in the ballpark.
- Poetry: No more than 2 pages (8.5 x 11) in length. (Maximum word count set arbitrarily to 2,000 words as our system won’t allow max lines or pages.) No need to double-space.
== Preference will be given to stories previously unpublished in English, however, we will consider previously published material.
== Stories published in languages other than English, but MUST come accompanied by a good English translation.
== Multiple submissions welcome; up to two stories maximum per author, sent under separate cover.
== NOTE ON PSEUDONYMS: we will only publish one story per author, even if you write under several names; please use your real name on all correspondence and indicate your pseudonym in the cover letter and on the byline of the story itself.
== We prefer no simultaneous submissions, please (we promise to respond promptly).
== Final responses no later than 30 days after the deadline.
== Payment is 8 cents per word in Canadian funds (SFWA qualifying after exchange to US funds) for original submissions, 1 cent per word in Canadian funds for reprints.
== Rights: First World Rights, including audio and translation rights. (NOTE: CZP has a foreign rights agent who will be presenting the anthology in foreign markets.)
== File formats accepted: .docx, .doc, or .rtf.
== Formatting: Standard Manuscript format: double-spaced, 1-inch margins, etc. Times New Roman 12 point or other readable serifed font (NOT Courier); indented paragraphs; italics in italics (not underlined); Canadian or U.S. spelling; use # (or other unambiguous symbol) to indicate scene breaks; no outlandish formatting, please; full contact info (name, street address, email, phone number) and word count on the first page.
== Please include a cover letter with a brief author bio, title of story, and full contact info, including street address.
== Please do not summarize or describe the story in the cover letter.
== To be published by ChiZine Publications in late 2018. Yup, this one’s going right to press!

Corpus Press is now accepting submissions for a new Halloween-themed horror anthology. Submissions will be accepted according to our publishing needs, regardless of author publication history or status. Submissions should appeal to a wide audience (late teen to adult).

What we are looking for:

Not previously published short stories of 4,500-8,500 words that have a central theme associated with Halloween and can be characterized within the broad realm of “horror” fiction.

Successful submissions will be highly original, well written and cleanly edited.

Stories can be frightening, thought-provoking, atmospheric, humorous or satirical (or any combination thereof), but MUST contain a complete tale.

What we are NOT looking for:

Stories that have been hastily retrofitted with a coating of “Halloween” references to fit the submission guidelines. These are easily spotted and will be immediately rejected.

Stories that contain excessively explicit language, sexuality and violence, or that have a main goal of shocking the audience with poor taste (language, sexuality and violence is acceptable, however, if it is essential to the story and is handled in a tasteful manner). This IS NOT an “extreme horror” or “Splatterpunk” anthology.

Abstract mood pieces, vignettes, and highly experimental approaches to literature are discouraged. We are not accepting poems.

Stories featuring exaggerated dialects, colloquialisms or excessive references to pop culture or current fads are discouraged.

We will not be accepting epistolary fiction for this anthology.

Document Requirements: Submissions must be in an editable format. No PDFs or scanned documents sent as image files will be accepted. Preference is for author name, email address and word count information to be placed at the end of the document to assist in blind review process.

Submission window: October 29, 2017 – March 30, 2018. No multiple submissions. Simultaneous submissions are okay, but please disclose this in your submission. Notifications of acceptance / rejection will be sent no later than May 31, 2018.

Pay Rate: $.03 per word. Two (2) free contributor copies (paperback) will be provided, with contributors having the option to buy additional quantities at cost post-publication. Payment on publication.

Anthology target length: 300-350 pages. Title TBD.

Terms: Corpus Press maintains exclusive paperback, hardcover and eBook publishing rights from date of publication until November 2019, at which time full republication rights revert back to the author. Author retains all audiobook rights. Publisher retains future publishing rights to maintain the submitted work in print as part of the published anthology. Final contract required to be signed upon acceptance which may contain additional terms and conditions.

Though some among us have realised the importance of sustainable living, in the broad sense of everyday life, we still demand too much. Our capitalist dispositions have driven a wedge between ourselves and nature; we have become transfixed by the shine of chrome, the luxury of packaged lives, no longer seemingly aware of the solid earth beneath our feet.

At an ever-advancing tipping point, humanity persists in its war against the natural world. Running a trail of extinction and cutting down vast swathes of oxygen-producing forests, we breed at an alarming pace, overpopulating a planet we seem hell-bent on reigning in – but at what cost? It seems we’re playing a cruel joke on the system that sparked our existence, and which has sustained us ever since.

Or could the joke be on us?

There is something inherently weird in our behaviour toward Nature. Two distinct energies, two conscious mentalities, humanity and the natural world find themselves at loggerheads. Can we be held accountable if – as part of nature ourselves – we are driven by the need for survival, the way all species are? And if the answer is no, should we not anticipate that Nature will do the same?

Force of Nature (working title) will be an anthology of original short fiction that explores the physical and metaphysical boundaries between humanity and the natural world.

Though our scientific knowledge has increased exponentially alongside technological development, there remains much about the natural world we still do not understand. Stories for Force of Nature should involve nature and the weird at their core; how the author wishes to interpret these themes is entirely up to them. Comedic stories will be a tougher sell but by all means, if you have a story that otherwise fits the guidelines, don’t hesitate to submit it. Try to avoid anything that is overtly cautionary. While the idea for the anthology was significantly inspired by climate change and the impact wrought on the planet by human habits, I don’t want stories that lecture. That said, I’m not opposed to stories in which the human factor gets served the short end of the stick.

While I don’t want a collection full of quiet stories, I will mention here that I am a big fan of the sublime. Wordsworth with a modern sensibility. Or just Wordsworth.

In terms of genre, I have no stipulations. Use a blank canvas and fit your story to the genus that suits it best.

We're looking for works of short speculative fiction that consider the future of the internet, artificial intelligence, the mind, and robots. Give us your optimistic, fantastic, bittersweet stories of fantasy and science fiction.

Please, no YA dystopian, robots will destroy the world, high fantasy tropes. Take a more original and nuanced view on the subject.

Galileo's Theme Park -- Space opera, SF, physics. The great Italian scientist is famous for standing up for science in the face of the Inquisition, doing his best work while under house arrest. He also brought us our first views of Jupiter's moons by combining a convex lens with a concave one to invent a high quality telescope. We invite you to take us on a journey to the lands beyond earth revealed to us by Galileo and other space scientists. Suggested reading: "The Old Astronomer" by Sarah Williams.

Reading Period: March 1 - April 15, 2018. DO NOT SUBMIT before 1 March.
Publication Date: June 15, 2018

Stories should be submitted in either Microsoft Word (using double spacing), RTF, or plain text. They should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Flash humor pieces (Grins and Gurgles) should be short, around 600 words.

Please don't send simultaneous or multiple submissions. If a story has been rejected, you can then send another (limit 2 per reading period).

Submit by email to:

flatsubmit@thirdflatiron.com

either as an attachment (Word, RTF) or in the body of the mail (text).

In the Subject: line of the email, please put:

flatsubmit:Title_of_Your_Work

to avoid being deemed a canned meat product based on ham.

If the work is for the humor section, please note that in the body of your email. A brief bio and a one- or two-sentence synopsis in the body of your email would also be helpful to us.

Use the following template (basically, follow William Shunn's Standard Manuscript Format):

Your Name

Address (mailing)

Email address

Word count

[10 blank lines]

Title

Byline

Body of story

--------

Our response time is expected to be about 8 weeks (or less if the writer deadline is coming up soon).

REMUNERATION

As of: November 1, 2016

Your story must be original work, with the digital rights unencumbered. Accepted stories will be paid at the flat rate of 6 cents per word (U.S./SFWA professional rate), in return for the first publication rights to the story for six months after publication. All other rights will remain with the author. We no longer offer royalties. If your story is selected as the lead story, we request permission to podcast the story as a free sample portion of the anthology. We welcome new writers.

Third Flatiron will price and market your story to various e-publishing venues. We will format the story for the most popular electronic readers and platforms. You agree that we may distribute a sample (portion of the story) to potential customers.

For non-U.S. submissions, we prefer to pay via PayPal, if you have such an account.

Most books (except "year's best" collections) will be available for sale in trade paperback.

Authors selected for publication will also be entitled to one free online copy of the anthology.

Masculinity has, almost since the category of speculative fiction emerged in the early 20th century, been a concern of fiction written in the genre. A culturally dominant, Western, toxic form of masculinity has dominated storytelling in speculative fiction. In worlds as varied and diverse as the distant past of magical worlds and the far future of this one, models of maleness and masculinity tend to be the same toxic form of masculinity that dominates modern Western culture. We want to interrogate that model of masculinity, to problematise it, and to question it; we want to see other possible models of masculinity, models not centred on dominance and violence and repression of feelings; other role models for men. We are looking for fiction, essays and poetry which do this.

We are particularly looking for submissions from authors from marginalised identities and backgrounds, especially where those identities complicate the author’s relationship with masculinity, including but by no means limited to disabled writers, trans writers, and writers of colour.

Reading Period: January 15th-April 15th 2018. No responses to submissions will be sent out before May 2nd, 2018.

Fiction editors: Jay Wolf & Ronan Sadler

Masculinity, as so much of our media defines it, is discouragingly narrow; the constructs that define “masculinity” are often rigid and unforgiving. Toxic masculinity engenders violence to those marginalized by, as well as to those contained within, it. This violence looks and feels different to everyone, depending on their social location. But what if it didn’t have to be this way?
We’re looking for speculative short fiction that looks past the fitted mold of masculinity, the known and assumed qualities of what constitutes “manliness” that enforce an artificial exclusion. We want to see thoughtful futures, alternate histories, or far-flung fantasies that examine masculinity without boxing it in. We’re not looking for gender-based “gotcha” moments or punchlines. What can masculinity be when it is not a rigid social construct? The stories we are looking for will examine what it means to be masculine while leaving pre-judgments at the door.

[NOTE: Deadline is currently just “May 2018,” so I’ve listed it as May 1st. It’ll probably be set more precisely as the deadline gets closer. Be sure to check the guidelines before you submit.

ETA: Lethe's Submissions page currently (as of 8 Feb, when I'm assembling this post) lists no anthologies, and says they're not accepting submissions at all. I poked around and also noticed there hasn't been a new post to their blog since late 2016. I dropped them a note asking about The Decadents, and whether they've cancelled the book, or are shutting down their anthology line. I'll post when/if I get a reply. Something's squirrely here; I'm hoping it's just whoever's supposed to keep their site updated dropping the ball.]

Wan poets with ink-stained fingers and laudanum-tainted breath. Hirsute bankers embezzling funds to pay for nightly trysts at less-than-savory clubs. Lethe Press is seeking gay male short stories, either reprints or original works, for an anthology of historical fiction that embraces the Decadent Movement. Stories may have fantastical or horrific elements. All work must be queer positive (i.e., the men and trans-men in the tale cannot be self-loathing, cannot be punished because they have same-sex attraction). Stories should be set during the 18th or 19th century. Stories need not be set in European cities.

Other details: stories should be from 4,000 to 14,000 in length. Payment for reprints is 1.5 cents per word. Payment for original fiction is 5 cents a word. All payment is upon publication in Summer of 2019.

Deadline is May of 2018. Please submit to Steve Berman at lethepress @aol.com with the Subject line of The Decadents - Submission. Include an embedded copy letter with biographical details, if the story is original, and some sense of prior publications (if any).

Our flagship anthology is now open for submissions. These books will be available on Kindle, hardcover, paperback, and audiobook format. The title page of each story will be illustrated. We are looking for horror, dark sci-fi, dark speculative fiction, neo-noire, and cyberpunk themes. Please read the general submissions for more details.

Below is a little more about the project.

Word Count​​: 1500-8000 words. This is not a hard word count. If you think you have a story that fits what we're looking for, but is a little long or a little short, send it our way.

Payment: We are offering 2 cents per word up to 8K words. You are free to send us longer stories, but we cap payments at $160 per story for this project.

Rights: We are not asking for ownership of your story. Just the right to print it.

Reprints: Yes, we accept reprints. Beggars can't be choosers and we understand we're a fledgling brand. If your work appears elsewhere, please make sure you double check with the other publication to make sure your story is eligible to print.

We are currently accepting submissions for our Black Erotica/Superhero Anthology (Working Title: Black Superheroes Do It Too!). Submissions should be full stories, not just sex scenes and between 3500 and 10,000 words. Writers, feel free to query to ensure your story idea hasn't already been submitted.

This anthology pays $100US. The submission period will remain open until our goal of a 225+ page anthology has been reached.

Thoroughly edited material has the best chance of acceptance. You don't need to pay someone to edit your material, but if you're serious about your writing, we do recommend it. At a minimum, we suggest you have others read over your work for typos and grammatical errors.

All manuscripts should be in Microsoft Word and should be double spaced with an extra space between each paragraph. THIS EXTRA SPACE SHOULD BE DONE IN MICROSOFT WORD, THROUGH YOUR PARAGRAPH SETTINGS, NOT BY YOU ACTUALLY HITTING "ENTER" TWICE. There should be no indention at the start of each paragraph.

Send to: submissions@blackbookspublishing.com with "Superhero Erotica" in the subject heading.

***

If you've found this listing useful, and especially if you've sold a story to a market you found here (score!) I'd love to hear about it. You can e-mail me at angiepen at gmail dot com.

If you'd like to support these listings in a more concrete way, here are a couple of ways to do it:

Because teaching kids that if a boy makes a romantic offer, a girl has to say yes is such a good idea. For both the boys and the girls -- teaching girls that they have to say yes, and teaching boys that girls can't say no. Yeah, that's not going to cause any problems in the future. [headdesk]

A number of parents objected, because they have functional brains, and the school is backpedalling. But I'd really like to know what rock the school authorities -- whoever it was who came up with this -- have been living under for the last year. Or actually, the last few decades.

They framed the original policy in terms of being kind to one another, and okay, I can get behind that. But surely it's much better to teach kids how to say "No thank you" kindly, without making the person who asked you feel bad. That also gives the asker practice in accepting a "No thank you" with civility, rather than turning agressive out of humiliation or anger. Yes, being turned down hurts (ask any writer [cough]) but learning to handle a rejection without melting down is part of becoming a functional adult.

At least this got nipped in the bud, but if my kid went to this school, I'd be doubly vigilant to make sure they didn't make similarly horrible decisions in the future. Best of luck to the kids.

Monday, February 12, 2018

There's a post on Boing Boing with an incredibly cool video showing off Nissan's self-parking tech. They went to an inn in Japan and installed self-parking systems in some floor pillows, a TV remote on a table, and a whole row of slippers. Watching them all glide around, putting themselves away is surprisingly fun. :)

Thinking about it, though, you could put this tech in a lot of things. Heck, add some sort of flight tech (tiny little anti-grav units?) and your whole house could straighten itself up whenever you want. Decide where things should live and set each thing to home in on its spot, and there you go. Press a button, trigger an app, clap, (ask Alexa?) or whatever triggers it, and everything would go scuttling and gliding into its spot.

If you've ever had a little kid who'd never put their toys away (or been a little kid who hated putting their toys away [cough]) this'd be some serious dream tech. :D

Friday, February 2, 2018

So there's a thing going around Twitter, which I read about on a blog, about your first Amazon order.

Let’s play a game. Go to Amazon, to “Your Orders,” and with the year drop-down, find the earliest year listed… and then RT and tell us what the FIRST thing you ever bought on Amazon was. Bonus points for it being nearly 20 years ago. 🙂 #BabysFirstAmazon

We've been using Amazon for a while, so I went and looked up my first order. Unsurprisingly, it was a pile of books.

The Formation of the Medieval West: Studies in the Oral Culture of the Barbarians by Michael Richter

The Interface Between the Written and the Oral (Studies in Literacy, Family, Culture and the State) by Jack Goody

From Memory to Written Record: England 1066-1307 by M.T. Clanchy

The Implications of Literacy: Written Language and Models of Interpretations in the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries by Brian Stock

Phantoms of Remembrance: Memory and Oblivion at the End of the First Millenium by Patrick J. Geary

This stack of page-turners ran me $196.45 on 29 April 1999. I was a senior at Long Beach State University, studying (in case you can't tell) medieval history. I'd talked my way into a graduate seminar, and was writing a paper on literacy in the Middle Ages. These were books I wanted but couldn't get at the university library. Or at least, the ones that didn't cost $$$ each to purchase. There were a few of those, and I got some of them later on, but not with this order.

Looking at the covers now, I want to go upstairs to where all my history books are still in boxes from when we moved, dig some of these out and reread them. Or in actuality, read them through for the first time. While researching for my paper, I didn't read any of the books I used all the way through. I dug through the table of contents and the index to find the useful bits; I didn't have time to actually read all the books I consulted cover-to-cover. But I'm still interested in this topic, and seeing these books again makes me want to settle in and really read them.

I never did finish my bachelor's degree. I'd been having trouble most of my adult life with "getting sick" and losing days or weeks or a month off of work or school. I'm a good enough scholar that I can lose two weeks or even a month out of the middle of a term, and (if the instructor would let me, which was a coin-toss) make up all the work, get good grades on the exams, and pull a stack of As out of the wreckage. But my illnesses, which were a combination of nausea and exhaustion and general... yuck, were getting worse and worse.

Finally, after watching me spend a month lying on the livingroom couch alternately sleeping and staring at the ceiling, my husband dragged me to a therapist, who sent me to a psychiatrist, who diagnosed bipolar disorder.

There's another Amazon order from later that year that marks when that happened; my doctor told me to get some books and read about the condition. (The thing where you lie on a couch for an hour talking to your P-doc doesn't happen anymore. You see a therapist if you want to talk. Your P-doc manages your meds. Appointments after the first diagnostic visit were fifteen minutes, so he wanted me to educate myself as much as I could.) Here's my Amazon order from 22 November 1999:

An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison

A Brilliant Madness: Living with Manic Depressive Illness by Patty Duke

I chose these two books to start with because the titles suggested the authors didn't BS around about their conditions. Jamison has a PhD in Psychology, IIRC (I'm pretty sure that's it, and that she's not a Psychiatrist, which is an MD specialty) and was diagnosed after she'd been practicing for a while. Patty Duke was an actress I'd seen in a number of things, so there was some familiarity there, at least on my part. I've always been a direct sort of person, and the lack of pussyfooting around in how they described their conditions appealed to me. I learned a lot from their books.

I wasn't aware at the time, but that diagnosis -- marked by the purchase of those books -- was the end of my scholastic career. I had plans to go for a PhD in History, and then teach and do research, and write books of my own. After a couple of years with my P-doc, during which I tried an array of different meds, different dosages and combinations, never with much improvement, I asked him straight out if I could go back to school. It'd been a while and I was getting antsy. He looked me in the eye and said that going back to school would be an expensive mistake.

Well. Okay then.

I was only a couple of classes short of what I absolutely needed to graduate. I spent a ridiculous amount of time getting an AA degree (and now I know why), and took a huge number of lower division history classes, many more than I needed, because they looked interesting. When I transferred up to Long Beach State, their registration system had me listed as a Senior from the day I set foot onto campus because of my transferrable unit count. Which was nice when it came time to get in line to register.

And although I only needed upper division courses, I spent three years at Long Beach State before finally crashing and burning out; the bottleneck was the Latin classes I needed in order to be able to work with primary sources, so I wandered around the history department, with brief forays into a few others, again taking a lot of classes I didn't strictly need, because they looked interesting. I know a lot about history, the European Middle Ages in particular, plus a few other areas that struck my fancy at the time, although I'll admit I'm a bit rusty at this point. I've always wished I'd gotten my scholarly act together sooner, so at least I'd have had my doctorate before everything blew up, and could legitimately write nonfiction on the subject, even if I wasn't up to teaching classes every day.

Although if I'd been able to do that, it would've been because I wasn't bipolar in the first place and I wouldn't have had the problems later anyway. Circular wishing, and all that.

I've written fiction most of my life, and I am published now. I enjoy what I do and find it fulfilling. Still, there's a wistfulness there, if I let myself dwell on it.

Monday, January 15, 2018

If you've just wandered in off the internet, hi and welcome. :) I do these posts every month, so if this post isn't dated in the same month you're in, click here to make sure you're seeing the most recent one. If you want to get an e-mail notification when the listing is posted, get the list a week early, or get a full listing of everything I've found (as opposed to the two months' worth I post here) a week early, you can support my Patreon.

Markets with specific deadlines are listed first, "Until Filled" markets (if any) are at the bottom. There are usually more details on the original site; always click through and read the full guidelines before submitting. Note that some publishers list multiple guidelines on one page, so after you click through you might have to scroll a bit.

I am looking for original short speculative fiction, up to 5000 words, that in some way address the intricacies of the mind. Mind control, mind augmentation, multiple memories, mental powers, or any other idea where mental oddities are key to the story line. I prefer science fiction, but will consider any speculative fiction that is not too depressing, violent or graphic. Email submissions to hig4s09@gmail.com.

I prefer .doc or .rtf, but will accept .docx Standard double space formatting. Please include contact information (name, address, email, and phone) on both the email and in the header of the work. No simultaneous submissions.

I Keep getting submissions saved at 150% and 200%, please stop. Save them at 100% before submitting.

I will not be accepting reprints for this anthology.

[NOTE: I debated including this listing, and finally decided to do so with a note. There are definite signs of newbie-itis in the original post, particularly the formatting, which my middle-aged eyes find particularly hard to read. But it's an interesting theme, and they're paying six cents per word, so maybe it's worth considering. Click through and make your own decision about submitting.]

Strange Economics is an anthology of original, high-quality stories that explore economic ideas through speculative fiction: money in worlds of magic, trade in worlds of advanced technology.

The stories contain world-building that probes alternative economies; fantastic scenarios with economic implications; engaging plots that show the effect of alien economic systems on the lives and relationships of individuals within. In short, these are gripping stories set in fantastic worlds with intriguing and imaginative economic arrangements.

Editorial Vision

We are compiling high-quality science fiction and fantasy stories to contribute to the literature of ideas. We want stories that stick with you long after you’re done reading—stories you want to talk about and share with your friends. We want stories with depth that demonstrate a different way of looking at the world, stories that envision an alternative reality or explore philosophical concepts, presented in the form of a compelling narrative.

All of our stories explore ideas through personal drama. They feature characters we care about caught in difficult struggles. They are page-turners with a strong hook, gripping narrative momentum, and a satisfying resolution.

We believe diversity is a strength, especially in storytelling. We encourage submissions from individuals from marginalized communities or historically disenfranchised groups. We want a diverse range of voices. We want to hear stories from people who can speak on behalf of perspectives that have been underrepresented in the genre, and in society at large. Diversity enriches our stories, and it enriches our lives.

General Submission Information:

== Payment: we pay a semi-professional rate of CDN 1.5 c/w. Payments will be made via Paypal within a month of publication.
== Revised Submission window: submissions open until January 31, 2018, 11:59PM.
== Reprints: we are accepting original, unpublished stories only.
== Length: we are looking for stories up to 10,000 words. We are more interested in stories in the 2k to 5k range.
== Poetry: we are not accepting poetry for this anthology, sorry. Keep your eyes open for our future anthologies, though. We have a few editors interested in poetry.
== Simultaneous submissions: simsubs are okay, but please let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere.
== Multiple submissions: please send us only your best work, and wait for a response before submitting something else.
== Rights purchased: we are seeking 6 month exclusive world rights in print and electronic formats; non-exclusive rights thereafter.
== Formatting: we ask for standard manuscript format.
== Anonymity: please include your name and contact information in your manuscript, as per standard manuscript format.
== Cover letter: a short cover letter is fine.
== E-mail header for submissions: ‘Submission: “”, by ’. note: formatting your header incorrectly may result in your story being automatically deleted by e-mail filter.
== Include your story as an attachment in rtf format (if converting your story to rtf creates formatting problems for you, it will for us, too).
== Send submissions to strangeeconomics at gmail dot com.
== Projected date of anthology completion: August 2018

Florida. Just the state’s name inspires a reaction when heard. It is a state of pristine white sand beaches, green water, abundant wildlife, strip clubs, bait shops, theme parks and transients. From the Spanish moss-festooned live oaks of the panhandle to the Everglades, from the Keys to the oldest European-established settlement in the United States, Florida has been inspiring crime writers for decades, from the noir of John D. MacDonald to the hijinks of Carl Hiaasen’s bestsellers.

We are looking for stories set in, or inspired by, Florida and its eccentricity and complexity. We want diverse voices and characters, tales of darkness and violence, whether they are noir, cozy, hard-boiled or suspense. Push the boundaries of your creativity and the theme! NOTE: The stories don’t have to actually be set in Florida, but can be “inspired” by it—so a character can be from here, it can be built around a piece of music about Florida; etc. If you have any questions as to whether your idea fits the theme, do not be afraid to ask!

Specifics

== The maximum word count is 5,000 words; the minimum is 1,500.
== The stories should be crime-oriented; whether it’s the commission, planning or solving of one. It can also be about the after-effects of one. Murder, mayhem, blackmail, embezzlement, robbery—get as creative as you can!
== Sunny Places, Shady People will be published by Diversion Books.

Submissions

== All submissions will go through a blind-reading process for inclusion. So, do not include your name anywhere on the file; there should simply be a title on the first page.
== Pages should also be numbered, and the header should include the title of the story as well.
== Please use Microsoft Word; double spaced, using Times New Roman 12-point font.
== The name of your file should also be the title of the story, i.e. The Lottery.docx.
== Please include your name, address, and contact information in the body of your email.
== All submissions should be emailed to anthology@bouchercon2018.com no later than February 1, 2018.

Payment

Each contributor will be paid $75 for one-time use rights.

Any questions and all submissions can be sent to Greg Herren at anthology@bouchercon2018.com.

Historian Thomas Cahill, author of The Gifts of the Jews (Knopf, 1999) claimed that the Jews invented the very concept of history. They were the first, he said, to perceive time not as an endless circle of life, death and rebirth, but as the flight of an arrow, on a linear path to somewhere from somewhere.

However, what if time is not one arrow, but a volley of arrows? What if there are other timelines, other histories, other Jews? Would they still have a covenant with the one God? What would have become of their triumphs? Their defeats? Their suffering and their successes?

Award-winning author/editors Andrea D. Lobel and Mark Shainblum propose to answer this question in Other Covenants, the first-ever anthology of Jewish alternate history, to be published by ChiZine Publications in Fall 2019!

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

== Submison window: August 28, 2017 at 12:01 AM Eastern Time to Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
== Open to submissions by authors of all backgrounds, from anywhere in the world.
== Please do not submit by email. We will accept digital submissions only via the Moksha submissions system at https://chizinepub.moksha.io/publication/other-covenants.
== Stories must be in the alternate history genre and must be clearly relevant to the theme of the anthology.
== Length: 500–15,000 words. There are relatively few spots for stories at the high end, so please query first if you think your story will go long.
== Preference will be given to stories previously unpublished in English, however, we will consider previously published stories on a case-by-case basis.
== NEW: Also open to poetry submissions. Original poems on theme. No more than 2 pages (8.5 x 11) in length. (Maximum word count set arbitrarily to 2,000 words as system won’t allow max lines or pages.) No need to double-space.
== Submissions may be made in English or French. Author is responsible for translations into English after acceptance.
== English-language translations of stories from other languages (published or unpublished) are welcome, but we can only accept submissions in English or French.
== Multiple submissions welcome; up to two stories maximum per author, sent under separate cover.
== We prefer no simultaneous submissions, please (we promise to respond promptly).
== Initial responses (rejections, holds, and rewrite requests) within 30 days of submission; final responses no later than 30 days after the deadline.
== Payment is 8 cents per word in Canadian funds. (SFWA qualifying after exchange to US funds).
== File formats accepted: .docx, .doc, or .rtf.
== Formatting: indented paragraphs; italics in italics (not underlined); Canadian spelling; use # (or other unambiguous symbol) to indicate scene breaks; no headers, footers, or pagination; no outlandish formatting, please; full contact info (name, street address, email, phone number) and word count on the first page. That said, don’t fret too much about formatting; good fiction is what’s most important. (Correct spelling also counts.)
== Please include a cover letter with a brief author bio, title of story, and full contact info, including street address.
== Please do not summarize or describe the story in the cover letter.
== To be published by ChiZine Publications in Fall 2019.
== Rights: First World Rights, including audio and translation rights. (NOTE: CZP has a foreign rights agent who will be presenting the anthology in foreign markets.)
== NOTE ON PSEUDONYMS: we will only publish one story per author, even if you write under several names; please use your real name on all correspondence and indicate your pseudonym in the cover letter and on the byline of the story itself.
== NOTE ON SUBJECT MATTER: Any book dealing with the Jewish people, Jewish history and Israel will, by definition, be controversial. We welcome controversy and politics, but don’t forget that this is a fiction anthology. Telling good stories takes first, second and third place. Submissions that grind axes loud enough to drown out the story are unlikely to be accepted.
== Questions or queries: othercovenants@gmail.com. Please don’t submit stories via email, as noted above.

Please don’t take these as prescriptive or proscriptive either, the whole canvas of Jewish history is open to you—Biblical, historical and mythological:

What if the Holocaust had never happened?
What if Joseph’s brothers had not sold him into slavery in Egypt?
What if the State of Israel had been established in Uganda? Or Germany?
What if Jesus’ followers had not broken with Judaism?
What if the Jews had proselytized their faith door-to-door for a thousand years?
What if the Romans had not destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple?
What if Judaism became the dominant Western religion, but was riven by conflicts between the Temple priesthood and reformist rabbis who put the Torah and prayer before Temple ritual and sacrifice?
What if the Spanish Inquisition had never occurred?
What if Napoleon had not smashed down Europe’s ghetto walls?
What if the Protocols of the Elders of Zion were reality . . . in some other universe?

Reading period: January 15th, 2018 to February 15th 2018. Please do not submit anything until January 15th. Emails containing submissions will be deleted. (Uncanny Magazine uses the Moksha submission system.)

Who can submit:

We welcome submission from writers who identify themselves as disabled. Identity is what matters for this issue. What kinds of disabilities? All of them. Invisible and visible. Physical disabilities, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, mental health disabilities, and neurodiversity.

Yes, even if your disability is a recently acquired one.

Yes, even if your disability is static, or if it isn’t.

Yes, even if you’ve had your disability since birth.

Yes, even if you use adaptive devices only SOME of the time.

Yes, you.

Reading Elsa’s essay Disabled Enough from our Kickstarter may help if you have any doubts.

So, if you identify as disabled across any of these definitions or others, we want to hear from you!

A Note on Manuscript Guidelines For Fiction and Nonfiction:
14pt font, please. Serifed (ex: Time New Roman, Courier, Garamond). Double spaced. This is an accommodation for Elsa so she does not have to reformat every submission.

Please let the editors know if you need accommodations as well.

Fiction

Fiction Editor: Dominik Parisien

We do not require stories to explore issues relating to disability, but we do encourage them. We would certainly love to see a wide range of disabilities explored across a variety of SF settings and scenarios. We’re looking for the stories you’ve been trying to tell your whole life, for the stories that don’t fit elsewhere. We are also looking for a range of stories, for intricate, challenging tales with gorgeous prose, verve, and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs.

We want the stories you’ve been yearning to encounter in the world. We want to engage with the characters you want to meet in fiction.

Length: Between 750-6000 words

Payment: $.08 per word

Fiction Submission Procedures:

1- Please submit your story via Uncanny‘s Moksha submission system.

2- All stories should be in 14pt font, serifed (ex: Time New Roman, Courier, Garamond). double spaced, and attached in .RTF, .DOC, or .DOCX formats.

3- Your cover letter should contain the length of your story, your significant publishing history and awards, and information that might be relevant to that specific submission.

4- Please do not send multiple submissions at once, or submissions simultaneously submitted at another market or anthology.

5- We will try to respond to all submissions in 60 days. Please feel free to query uncannymagazine [at] gmail [dot] com if we’ve had your submission for over 75 days.

Nonfiction

Nonfiction Editor: Elsa Sjunneson-Henry

We are looking for essays which explore the relationship between disability and SFF. These essays should interrogate or explain some part of the relationship, whether it is about the genre itself, a character, a specific trope or narrative, or even the experience of being a disabled member of the SFF community. Creative nonfiction, academic essay, personal essay, or other non-fiction styles are all welcome. Please complicate the narrative for our readers, we don’t just want easy answers in this issue.

We want to know what frustrates you about the genre, or the industry, but also what brings you joy. If there’s a character you love with a disability, or a story you want to praise – we want to read those as well.

For Nonfiction we will accept either a pitch, or a fully written essay for submissions. If you are submitting a pitch, please make sure that it outlines exactly what you hope to accomplish.

2- All essays should be in 14pt font, serifed (ex: Time New Roman, Courier, Garamond). double spaced, and attached in .RTF, .DOC, or .DOCX formats.

3- Your cover letter should contain the length of your essay (if applicable), your significant publishing history and awards, and information that might be relevant to that specific submission.

4- Please do not send multiple submissions at once, or submissions simultaneously submitted at another market or anthology.

5- We will try to respond to all submissions in 60 days. Please feel free to query uncannymagazine [at] gmail [dot] com if we’ve had your submission for over 75 days.

Poetry

Poetry Editor: S. Qiouyi Lu

We do not require poetry to explore issues relating to disability, but we do encourage them. We are looking for strong, emotional poetry with multiple layers of meaning. Clear language can be just as vibrant and powerful as more intricate language. Most of all, we are looking for poetry that has a unique voice and doesn’t shy away from engaging with its core issues and themes.

Length: No line limits

Payment: $30 per poem

Poetry Submission Procedures:

1- Please submit your poem(s) via Uncanny‘s Moksha submission system.

2- Your cover letter should contain the length of your poem(s), your significant publishing history and awards, and information that might be relevant to that specific submission.

3- You may send up to five poems at a time, but please send them in separate files through the Moksha system in .RTF, .DOC, or .DOCX formats. Please do not send poems simultaneously submitted at another market or anthology.

4- We try to respond to all submissions in 60 days. Please feel free to query uncannymagazine [at] gmail [dot] com if we’ve had your submission for over 75 days.

Fiction Reprints

Reprint Editor: Judith Tarr

As with original fiction submissions, we do not require stories to explore issues relating to disability, but we do encourage them. We are looking for diverse, thoughtful, well-written stories that challenge readers to think outside their usual boxes.

Fiction Reprints Submission Procedures:

1- Please submit your story via Uncanny’s Moksha submission system.

2- All stories should be in Standard Manuscript Format and attached in .RTF, .DOC, or .DOCX formats. HOWEVER, as noted above, please use 14pt serifed font and not the standard 12pt.

3- Your cover letter should contain the length of your story, the date and venue of its original publication, your significant publishing history and awards, and information that might be relevant to that specific submission.

4- Please do not send multiple submissions at once, and please make sure that you have reprint rights for your story.

5- We will try to respond to all submissions in 60 days. Please feel free to query uncannymagazine [at] gmail [dot] com if we’ve had your submission for over 75 days.

Length: 750-6000 words

Payment: $.01 per word

—————-

Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction is a continuation of the Destroy series in which we, disabled members of the science fiction community, will put ourselves where we belong: at the center of the story. Often, disabled people are an afterthought, a punchline, or simply forgotten in the face of new horizons, scientific discovery, or magical invention. We intend to destroy ableism and bring forth voices, narratives, and truths most important to disabled writers, editors, and creators with this special issue.

Futurefire.net Publishing and the Institute of Classical Studies are looking for retellings or reimaginings of classical monsters in fantasy, horror or science fiction short stories, for a mixed fiction and nonfiction volume titled Making Monsters to be published in mid-2018, edited by Emma Bridges and Djibril al-Ayad. Classical monsters may include those from Greco-Roman mythology, ancient Egypt, the Near East, or any other ancient world cultures far beyond the Mediterranean.

We are particularly interested in stories and poems that explore the marginality and transgressiveness of female monsters and monstrous women such as Medusa, Scylla, Lilith, Kiyohime or Krasue, in the context of disadvantaged and marginalized women, including intersections with other axes of oppression and violence such as race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, language and religion. We especially welcome “own voices” fiction and stories by authors from marginalized groups, but we do not require authors to self-identify in any way.

== Maximum of 5,000 words fiction (with a preference for 3,000-5,000 words).
== Maximum of 50 lines poetry.
== No reprints or simultaneous submissions. Please only send one story and up to three poems (in separate documents, but a single email) at one time.
== We are not seeking nonfiction or scholarship—essays have already been commissioned for this volume.
== Please send fiction or poetry submissions as an attachment in .doc, .docx or .rtf format to makingmonsters.cfp@gmail.com, with your name, the story title, and the wordcount in the covering email.

Triangulation, Parsec Ink’s themed speculative fiction annual, is now in its 14th year, and open for submissions. Whether you’re a new or established author, we hope you’ll send us your outstanding fantasy, science fiction, weird fiction, or speculative horror. Just tell us a story we won’t forget.

Theme: This year’s theme is “music”. Tentative title, Triangulation: The Music Edition. We’re looking for stories where music, a musical instrument, the parts of music, or musical culture make an appearance in a meaningful way. As a thematic element, you can apply a light touch or go “full tuba”. Be aware that we may retool the title of the collection, depending on the exact quality and character of the submissions we receive. If you’ve got a better title than “Triangulation: The Musical”, don’t forget to let us know in your cover letter.

Word Count: We consider fiction up to 5,000 words, but the sweet spot is 3,000. There is no minimum word count.

Genre: We accept science fiction, fantasy, and horror–and enjoy intelligent blends of the three. Stories without a speculative element will not be considered.

Compensation: Pay is semi-pro: 2 cents a word. Authors will receive an e-book and one print copy of the anthology, plus wholesale pricing for additional print copies (typically 50% off the cover price).

Rights: We purchase North American serial rights, and electronic rights for the downloadable version(s). All subsidiary rights released upon publication.

Submissions: We are a meritocracy. New authors are as welcome as those with a laundry list of accomplishments. But it’s going to be the story that wins us over. Grab us by the lapels, drag us onto that plane, take us for the ride of our lives… but get us back on the ground safely and home in time for dinner.

We do not accept reprints, multiple submissions, or simultaneous submissions. If we reject a story before the end of the reading period, feel free to send another.

We love creative interpretations of our themes, but we do require the stories to be a solid fit.

We run mature content only if we like the story and find the mature content to be integral to it.

We do not accept fanfic, even if it’s based in a fictional universe that has passed into the public domain.

How To Submit: Electronic submissions make our lives easier. Please upload your story via Submittable. If this is your first time using Submittable, you will need to create an account with them. Don’t worry: it’s free.

Editorial Process: We aim to read submissions as they are received. If a story doesn’t work for us, we reject it. If we think the story has great potential but isn’t quite there yet, we request a rewrite. The ones we love the most, we hold on to for further consideration, but we won’t keep you guessing: you’ll get an email. Next, the stories fight it out amongst themselves until we have our final lineup. At which time, final acceptances are sent out. It’s sort of like Enter the Dragon, but without the nunchucks. When a story is accepted, the changes we suggest will typically be minor and/or cosmetic.

Response: Final decisions are made by March 31st.

Eligibility: All writers, including those who are known or related to the editorial staff, can submit to Triangulation. That doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily get in, but we are happy to consider their work.

Red Rabbit Publishing is seeking submissions for Red Rabbit Presents, a new anthology of sci-fi short stories. I’m looking for action-filled stories told well. That simple.

NOTE: Please Like Red Rabbit’s Facebook group for just-in-time information.

THEME: The first issue will release around mid-2018 and the theme will be military sci-fi. Professional soldiers, command structure, mechs beating down aliens, things like that. Explosions and heroes. Think of Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers as an example of military sci-fi.

PAY & LENGTH: Rate is $.03 cents a word, original content (no reprints) only. A minimum of 3,000 words and up to 6,000. Story length can go beyond (up to 8,000), but pay will only be to 6,000. ($90.00 to $180.00). Payment will be at time of publication through PayPal. If print books are created, all contributing authors will receive a copy.

SUBMISSION: Send an email to RRPsubmissions (at) akmeek.com with story attached as a Word document. Please use “Mid-2018 Submission” for email subject. Include the following in the email: story name, word count, author name, along with a blurb of any other information you think I’d like to know. Examples are: awards, social reach, newsletter subscriber count, etc. I’ll leave it up to what you feel is important.

QUESTIONS: Please check out Red Rabbit’s Facebook group (link above). If you prefer, send an email to the submissions email address (above). Please use “question” in the subject line.

If This Goes On is dedicated to inclusiveness and is open to all writers. If you have a story that needs to be told, we want to read it. Please do not self-reject.

Who:

== Genre writers
== Literary writers
== Writers from under-represented communities and groups
== Established writers, new writers, pro and amateur.
== All are welcome to contribute to If This Goes On.

We are looking for unique stories that offer insights into the shared future of our planet. Tell us how our climate will change if we don’t better protect our planet. Show us how the racial divide in this country is only growing wider. Warn us of a coming era of neo-colonialism if we don’t develop conscientious trade practices. Scare us into taking digital security more seriously as we hand over the keys to our digital lives to governments and non-state powers.

Open our eyes to our future.

What:

== Stories must be 5,000 words or less (Flash fiction is accepted)
== Must be set at least one generation in the future (You are welcome to write an epic fantasy in the Friedman tradition, so long as it is in the far future!)
== Must include the impact of current political policy (social, scientific, legal, criminal, etc.) as a meaningful aspect of the story.
== Stories are strongly encouraged to avoid focusing on current political personalities and, instead, to focus on the policy impacts and long-term changes to our world.
== Stories must be original
== Publisher requires worldwide first electronic and first print English-language rights
== Pay is $0.08 per word (half on delivery, half on publication) and a royalty share for contributors

How:

Submissions and queries should be emailed to submissions@parvuspress.com and addressed to Cat Rambo. Attach your manuscript as Word (.doc or .docx), PDF, or RTF files only. Your submission should include your name and relevant contact information in the attached file as well as the body of the email. Attach only your submission document. Submissions containing any other files will not be opened.

In your email, we ask that you identify the particular policy, trend, or shift which your story involves. You are encouraged, but not required, to tell us if there is any personal connection between yourself and the anthology topic.

Please feel free to email for an update if you have not heard a submission response within 90 days.

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

This project is born of rage and sorrow and hope. Rage at the way America has been stolen and how those thieves have been eating away at its infrastructure. Sorrow at the lives being destroyed in the sorrow as well as for the earth as its protections are stripped away by a kleptocratic and corrupt regime. Sorrow for the way words themselves have been distorted and twisted away from truth.

And hope. Because humans continue to progress and evolve, even though that climb is a rocky one and we slide back sometimes. We seem to have done so recently. And so this anthology, an attempt to rally, to inspire, and to awaken. Some stories will despair, but others will have the light we seek, lamps to light the path and show the pitfalls as we continue upwards.

This anthology is part of my resistance. I hope it will be part of yours as well.

– Cat Rambo

20 September 2017

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The idea for IF THIS GOES ON came as a reaction to the isolationism, divisiveness, anti-science rhetoric, and fear-mongering that we saw all-too-frequently from our national leaders after the 2016 election. I was finally called to action by the hateful rally in Charlottesville, VA this summer.

This project is very personal to me. A mezuzah is nailed to the doorframe of my house, here in Virginia, and I proudly top my Christmas tree with a Star of David every year. When I watched Vice's powerful documentary on the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, as I watched a mob in broad daylight chanting anti-Semitic messages in my relative back yard, I could no longer ignore the fear I felt for the future of my country and the safety of my family.

This anthology is my contribution to the effort to preserve the America I know, love, and believe in. An America where all children can grow up without fear and where love is more powerful than hate. To paraphrase (poorly) President Obama, I believe in an America where we all recognize that there is more that binds us together than sets us apart. I know this America doesn’t exist beyond an ideal, but I see this anthology as one small brick in the long road to that ideal.

The Sword & Sonnet Kickstarter successfully funded and a wonderful group of writers have agreed to write for us. We’ll be holding an open submission period in February 2018 and actively encourage writers from all backgrounds to send us their stories.

== What kind of stories are you looking for?

Stories featuring a woman or non-binary battle poet as a main character. Although we envision the bulk of the stories will be fantasy, we’re also open to science fiction or horror. We’re looking for lyrical Shimmery stories, epic fantasy tales, and gritty poetpunk. Stories could feature secondary, historical or contemporary settings. Although they don’t feature battle poets (and we’re not looking for carbon copies) here are some stories which give some examples of some of the flavors we’re looking for:

Please only submit one story at a time. If you get a response back before the submission window closes, you’re welcome to submit another story.

== Simultaneous Submissions

Please don’t. (Don’t send the story to another market at the same time you send it to us).

== Response Time

You’ll have a response (perhaps a hold notice) before the end of March.

== Do you actually have any space left in your anthology for open submissions?

Yes. We have a wonderful group of writers who have agreed to write us stories, but we wanted to leave room for the open submission period too! We don’t know exactly how many stories (that will depend on the word count), but we’ll be looking to take around 8-10 stories from the open submission period.

Corpus Press is now accepting submissions for a new Halloween-themed horror anthology. Submissions will be accepted according to our publishing needs, regardless of author publication history or status. Submissions should appeal to a wide audience (late teen to adult).

What we are looking for:

Not previously published short stories of 4,500-8,500 words that have a central theme associated with Halloween and can be characterized within the broad realm of “horror” fiction.

Successful submissions will be highly original, well written and cleanly edited.

Stories can be frightening, thought-provoking, atmospheric, humorous or satirical (or any combination thereof), but MUST contain a complete tale.

What we are NOT looking for:

Stories that have been hastily retrofitted with a coating of “Halloween” references to fit the submission guidelines. These are easily spotted and will be immediately rejected.

Stories that contain excessively explicit language, sexuality and violence, or that have a main goal of shocking the audience with poor taste (language, sexuality and violence is acceptable, however, if it is essential to the story and is handled in a tasteful manner). This IS NOT an “extreme horror” or “Splatterpunk” anthology.

Abstract mood pieces, vignettes, and highly experimental approaches to literature are discouraged. We are not accepting poems.

Stories featuring exaggerated dialects, colloquialisms or excessive references to pop culture or current fads are discouraged.

We will not be accepting epistolary fiction for this anthology.

Document Requirements: Submissions must be in an editable format. No PDFs or scanned documents sent as image files will be accepted. Preference is for author name, email address and word count information to be placed at the end of the document to assist in blind review process.

Submission window: October 29, 2017 – March 30, 2018. No multiple submissions. Simultaneous submissions are okay, but please disclose this in your submission. Notifications of acceptance / rejection will be sent no later than May 31, 2018.

Pay Rate: $.03 per word. Two (2) free contributor copies (paperback) will be provided, with contributors having the option to buy additional quantities at cost post-publication. Payment on publication.

Anthology target length: 300-350 pages. Title TBD.

Terms: Corpus Press maintains exclusive paperback, hardcover and eBook publishing rights from date of publication until November 2019, at which time full republication rights revert back to the author. Author retains all audiobook rights. Publisher retains future publishing rights to maintain the submitted work in print as part of the published anthology. Final contract required to be signed upon acceptance which may contain additional terms and conditions.

Though some among us have realised the importance of sustainable living, in the broad sense of everyday life, we still demand too much. Our capitalist dispositions have driven a wedge between ourselves and nature; we have become transfixed by the shine of chrome, the luxury of packaged lives, no longer seemingly aware of the solid earth beneath our feet.

At an ever-advancing tipping point, humanity persists in its war against the natural world. Running a trail of extinction and cutting down vast swathes of oxygen-producing forests, we breed at an alarming pace, overpopulating a planet we seem hell-bent on reigning in – but at what cost? It seems we’re playing a cruel joke on the system that sparked our existence, and which has sustained us ever since.

Or could the joke be on us?

There is something inherently weird in our behaviour toward Nature. Two distinct energies, two conscious mentalities, humanity and the natural world find themselves at loggerheads. Can we be held accountable if – as part of nature ourselves – we are driven by the need for survival, the way all species are? And if the answer is no, should we not anticipate that Nature will do the same?

Force of Nature (working title) will be an anthology of original short fiction that explores the physical and metaphysical boundaries between humanity and the natural world.

Though our scientific knowledge has increased exponentially alongside technological development, there remains much about the natural world we still do not understand. Stories for Force of Nature should involve nature and the weird at their core; how the author wishes to interpret these themes is entirely up to them. Comedic stories will be a tougher sell but by all means, if you have a story that otherwise fits the guidelines, don’t hesitate to submit it. Try to avoid anything that is overtly cautionary. While the idea for the anthology was significantly inspired by climate change and the impact wrought on the planet by human habits, I don’t want stories that lecture. That said, I’m not opposed to stories in which the human factor gets served the short end of the stick.

While I don’t want a collection full of quiet stories, I will mention here that I am a big fan of the sublime. Wordsworth with a modern sensibility. Or just Wordsworth.

In terms of genre, I have no stipulations. Use a blank canvas and fit your story to the genus that suits it best.

We're looking for works of short speculative fiction that consider the future of the internet, artificial intelligence, the mind, and robots. Give us your optimistic, fantastic, bittersweet stories of fantasy and science fiction.

Please, no YA dystopian, robots will destroy the world, high fantasy tropes. Take a more original and nuanced view on the subject.

We are currently accepting submissions for our Black Erotica/Superhero Anthology (Working Title: Black Superheroes Do It Too!). Submissions should be full stories, not just sex scenes and between 3500 and 10,000 words. Writers, feel free to query to ensure your story idea hasn't already been submitted.

This anthology pays $100US. The submission period will remain open until our goal of a 225+ page anthology has been reached.

Thoroughly edited material has the best chance of acceptance. You don't need to pay someone to edit your material, but if you're serious about your writing, we do recommend it. At a minimum, we suggest you have others read over your work for typos and grammatical errors.

All manuscripts should be in Microsoft Word and should be double spaced with an extra space between each paragraph. THIS EXTRA SPACE SHOULD BE DONE IN MICROSOFT WORD, THROUGH YOUR PARAGRAPH SETTINGS, NOT BY YOU ACTUALLY HITTING "ENTER" TWICE. There should be no indention at the start of each paragraph.

Send to: submissions@blackbookspublishing.com with "Superhero Erotica" in the subject heading.

About Me

My name is Angie and I'm a writer living in Seattle, WA with my husband. I publish science fiction, fantasy and crime stories under Angela Penrose, and romance and erotica under Angela Benedetti. I pretty much live at the computer, either writing or online or both. My schedule is chaotically variable, so I might be awake or asleep at any given moment. It's not all bad; writing at 2am when it's quiet is actually pretty cool.